In a controversial move, Morocco is about to scrap its "free education for all" policy in favor of a sliding scale system, with the richer kids paying tuition and the poorest paying none. The intended change was announced on Monday by Higher Education Minister Lahcen Daoudi.
Lahcen Daoudi
The resistance to the initiative is not coming from parents who will have to fork out money for their children's education, but those who have been enjoying secure positions for years - the teachers. The teachers' unions are already in an uproar over the new system, which will be in place beginning in the 2013-2014 academic year, and which does away with seniority-based promotions in favor of merit-based advancement, following the US publish or perish model.
The reform especially affects students fo higher learning institutions, which so far have been completely free of charge.
The government is also looking at creative financing methods, such as foreign investments in Morocco's education system. France is a probable partner given its past colonial relationship with Morocco, while Russia is planning to open a multidisciplinary, 14-department university in Casablanca, with courses taught in English and Russian.
No road-trip would be complete without at least one unexpected diversion. In our case there were two.
Prior to the first night's concert we stopped off for coffee and had a chance meeting with some truly interesting characters - painters, poets and writers. Among them was the charismatic Abdul Hamid Gharbowy who became an instant friend.
Abdul Hamid Gharbowy
Stumbling out for some fresh air the following morning we immediately bumped into Abdul Hamid Gharbowy who, in true Moroccan style, invited us to vist his home and gallery.
It was an unexpected treat as the paintings were wonderful - mainly acrylic, but some interesting collage work as well as calligraphic embellishments. The style was fresh, modern, invigorating and certainly worth a second visit in the future.
Then, to our bleary-eyed astonishment, we were treated to a recitation of poetry from one of his many published works. A rare treat and it was no surprise to learn he had previously worked as an actor. A few years earlier, we commented, he would have made a fine Hamlet. Many of his stories are written for children, but one senses there is a great novel in him, awaiting the right moment to emerge - inshallah.
All the world's a stage....
The second diversion was one of a musical kind. Rumour had it that somewhere in the back streets of Casablanca was a small shop that stocked vinyl records - genuine old LPs and 45s. It took some finding, but eventually we found the amazing ...
This shop holds a treasure trove of recordings from the golden age of Egyptian music. Artists such as Umm Kulthum, Abd al-Halim Hafiz, Farid al-Atrash, etc., as well as some of the foundational Moroccan musicians from the mid-twentieth century, artists like Nass al-Ghiwane, Jil Jilala, Hamid al-Zahir, and many other folk, shaabi, Malhun, and Andalusian musicians. Most of the stock here has never been played!
The records are pristine, some with slightly faded covers or a bit of mold from siting untouched for thirty plus years. The beautiful dark hardwood displays give this place the feel of a museum, while accentuating the vivid and colourful artwork of these rare gems. The prices are extremely reasonable, however if you are a collector be warned it is easy to spend money here. We left with bags of records, and the proprietor? Smiling; set up for the rest of this Ramadan and possibly the next one as well.
MEANWHILE.... Back with the Hamadsha
After only five hours sleep during the 48 hour marathon, Chris Witulski reflects on a memorable and rewarding experience.
At the feet of a master musician - The View from Fez's Chris Witulski found the experience extremely valuable
When I look back at this time that we spent together, all of us, in Casablanca, I continue to dwell on the few memorable hours between the end of the first concert and the extraordinarily late Ramadan bedtime.
After we ate the "dinner" that followed the concert, the entire posse retired to the shared flat around the corner. In both large rooms, musicians took up residence on the long couches that wound around the space.
In the main meeting room, where Sandy, Phil, and I ended up sleeping hours later, two players began to sing old songs from Eastern Morocco and Algeria. These masters made each other tear up as they made their way through the long stories that comprise the lyrics of these tunes from their youth. Reclining listeners joined in for choruses and verses that they remembered and the younger members of the group watched intently, hoping to learn.
The ensemble was made up of a number of respected elders, but they were offset by promising young talents, including two women. More women are taking up music in Morocco, but they, just like other players of the coming generation, are attempting to balance their musical skills against the demands of their studies in vastly unrelated fields.
These opportunities, I can only hope, are as fulfilling for them as they are for us researchers. The evening saw a number of mini-lessons as the elder generation taught short improvisations and melodic fragments to the younger players, and within the concerts themselves, they conceded space for these growing instrumentalists to lead sections and take solos.
Sharqawi conducts the jam session
The most endearing part of the evening, for me, however, was after about half of the group had gone to sleep in the main room. As people were lying down, they struggled to sleep due to the raucous energy coming from the next room.
I wandered over to listen to all the singing. Faiçel, a phenomenal oud player, was leading the performance of hours and hours of Egyptian popular music, all but dragging the tiring vocalists deep into the night. Hakima, one of the group's featured performers, and Sara, a younger singer who shared the stage for a duet on the second night, were giggling together like mother and daughter as they belted out the love songs of Um Kulthoum and Abd al-Halim Hafez.
The instrumentalists in the room, mostly violinists and suissen players (a smaller instrument plucked with a pic like a guitar) were jumping in with the chorus parts, and the noise meant that, somewhere around 3:00am, we had to close the window in case someone, somewhere was actually trying to sleep. (The door, however, stayed open, despite poor Sandy, who had attempted unsuccessfully to go to bed hours earlier just a few feet away…)
Majdouline - an oud player with a great singing voice
When the songs lulled, a new leader would emerge, often from the younger players. Majdouline, a 22 year old oud player, began to belt a lesser-known song, which prompted everyone to quietly listen as she performed for her new peers.
Appreciative applause grew into yet another 20-minute composition and so on until Fajr, the call to pray that signaled the beginning of the next day's Ramadan fasting. I needed to try and sleep, but the music continued even as I drifted off in the next room.
Algerian, Moroccan and American musicians - a true fusion
A rare instrument, the suisson, is not easy to play - Mohamed Masbahi makes it look easy!
The beauty of this is not that Sandy, Phil, and I did good research, got some good photos, and collected stories. By spending days with this same group of Moroccan musicians and music lovers, we build relationships that will continue. Now, when I visit Meknes or Rabat, I have a slightly larger handful of people that I absolutely have to call and see.
Instead of asking questions, we sat and laughed together. Instead of working out details, we shared an art. Mustafa Khalili, the director of the festival and a small man who never ceased acting like a jolly and excited child surrounded by his closest friends, refused to let us walk out the door at the end of the second evening. We fought our way through, though, with a long series of promises to return in the future.
After the travelling, rehearsals and concert, the party went on until 5 am... the aftermath was predictable
The View from Fez team would like to thanks the Fez Hamadsha and Abd ar-Rahim Amrani, the artistic director of the festival and leader of the Hamadsha of Fes for inviting us to participate and to record all the events.
11 pm
The 2012 Casablanca Malhun Festival kicked off at 11 pm with a venue packed with local families. It was a beautiful evening with pleasant temperature and a gorgeous venue. The event continued over two days and, although it was a malhun festival, it included a number of other types of music. It opened with Sufi music from performers of Ahl Touat, then we took the stage for the first of two nights of malhun poetry and songs.
Not your standard MC - she was greeted warmly by the crowd
Malhun - great music
We were invited to share the stage with a malhun ensemble composed of musicians from across Morocco. Salé, Rabat, Oujda, Fez, and Meknes were all well represented as we gathered together to perform. Malhun, a form of sung poetry, is an old and purely Moroccan form of popular music. The songs are comprised of texts that straddle the line between Moroccan and classical registers of Arabic and can extend to 20 or 30 minutes. The backing music is not too complex, but is heavily ornamented and allows for space for people like Fouad (Philip Murphy) and Driss (Chris Witulski) to find a sweet spot.
Hamid el-Qasri playing the gimbri
Gnawa
We were followed by Hamid el-Qasri, the famous Gnawa fusion artist. We had heard him on the radio in the bus on the way to Casablanca, only to meet him that same evening. Illa anta fil-maghreb, f-la tistaghreb ("If you're in Morocco, never be astonished").
Members of Hamid el-Qasri's Gnawa group
Driss (Chris Witulski) from The View from Fez with his trademark smile!
One of the great things about a traditional music concert in Morocco, is the attention given to wearing the perfect outfit. Visually it beats the hell out of t-shirt and jeans.
Meryem Chadi, the talented young violinist from Salé
Faiçel Doukkali and Majdouline Benserhir with their ouds
The brilliant Algerian Rachid Toumi
Abd al-Wahid, playing the "hadida," an iron blade from a hoe, and Rashid
Hamid el-Qasri playing the gimbri (left) and one of his group members, on the quraqeb (iron castanets) performing Gnawa music
Faiçel Doukkali and Majdouline Benserhir with their ouds
One of our Fessi Hamdoushi musicians playing the ta'rija
Abd al-Latif and his darbouka
The singers
Abd ar-Rahim Amrani, the artistic director of the festival and leader of the Hamadsha of Fes
Sara Dhanna
Senae Shafira on her debut public performance
Mohamed al-Hashmi, from Algeria
the formidable Hakima Tariq - a crowd favourite
The mutual fan club of Philip Murphy, Majdouline Benserhir, and Chris Witulski
Sharqawi, Amrani, and Sara
The group that brought us so much joy
12 30 am
The Concert finished and after the farewells it was off to change clothes and prepare for dinner which was to be served at 1.30am. What we didn't know then was that the party would continue until after 5am... and the second concert still lay ahead.
This week the team from The View from Fez accepted an invitation to travel with the Fez Hamadcha Sufi group. Our destination was Casablanca, but for what exactly was not quite clear. It could have been a translation error, or simply the fact that the people we asked did not know, but the nearest we could get was "the Hamadcha are playing at something, somewhere in Casa, inshallah" - Fair enough. Here is a timeline and photo essay.
Wednesday 10 am
"Assemble at R'cif in Fez and a truck will arrive." We assemble. No truck and it is already 30 degrees Celsius. The locals need us to have names that are easy to pronounce and remember, so The View from Fez team, Chris, Phil and Sandy, become "Driss", "Fouad" and "Haj Saladiin".
10 30 am
Truck arrives and there are questions about how all the musicians and their luggage and instruments will fit in. Two plastic chairs are placed in the back of the truck. Finally everyone is ready to get aboard.
Fouad (left) and Driss (right) surround Hamdoushi 'Abd al-Latif
Fouad prepares to record the gonzo road-trip - "They won't believe this back home"
Driss, upgraded to a plastic chair, relaxes while waiting for more musicians to board
11 am
You can't travel with the Hamadcha and not have music. The next five hours was accompanied by drumming and singing with only a stop for midday prayers. No meal breaks, of course. This is Ramadan and the next meal is about 8 hours away.
3 30 pm
We arrive in Casablanca, outside of the busy city and in the (only slightly) quieter and older Habous quarter. Conveniently, we're going to be living and sleeping on the couches of a colonial era household around the corner from the evening's venue.
And the good news is we have found you a place to sleep ... but not yet
4 pm
First we visit the venue, and get a surprise, this is no ordinary private party.
The central courtyard of the enormous Habous palace
4 30pm
Sound check - or as the locals call it "the balance".
5 30 pm
The director and artistic director decide they are happy and that the musicians can go and rehearse elsewhere.
The directors discuss the sound-check
Hamadcha m'qadam, Abderrahim Amrani Marrakchi, is happy
Si Mustapha Khalili, the very happy director of the festival
5 45 pm
Rehearsal time and only two hours before we can eat...
7 45 pm
After almost 18 hours of fasting, the sight of iftar is very welcome. Within ten minutes of the call to prayer, everyone had ravished their food and adjourned to the sidewalk outside for a smoke.
9 pm
Having finally eaten and quenched our thirst, it was time to get changed and hang out for an hour chatting to locals in a cafe.
10 15 pm
At last we make it to the venue and prepare for a street parade before the concert.
The Hamadsha of Fez, including your very own View from Fez folks, prepare for the opening of the event.
10 40 pm
We hit the streets... Our Hamadsha join at least four distinct other groups to circle the streets as part of the dakhla, the entrance. The train of musicians walked out into the round about, surrounded by crowds descending from nearby cafes and swarms of press.
Time to return to the venue and for the concert to start
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